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Welcome to the Daily Fantasy Hockey (NHL DFS) lineup picks article for February 19th of the 2015/2016 NHL season. Each day we'll be providing you with a handful of forward, defensemen, and goaltender picks for DraftKings and FanDuel GPP and cash games.
It's a bit of a light night Friday with just five games on the docket. Still, there will be plenty of viable options for daily fantasy lineups. While none of the top teams are in action, some very solid lineup options are. One game to keep an eye will be the important Eastern Conference battle between the Islanders and Devils in New Jersey. A team to target tonight will be the Philadelphia Flyers, as their opponent, the Montreal Canadiens, have given up a ton of fantasy points to opposing players.
For updated goalie confirmations, you can check out leftwinglock.com. Let's get to it!
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NHL DFS Picks for Friday, February 19th
A couple strategy notes. For cash game construction look for players who can contribute to your score when they are not providing offense. Examples are guys who take a ton of shots, defensemen who block a lot of shots (DraftKings). Also, look for guys who get powerplay time and especially Top 6 forwards. You can find value in players who join a new line due to an injury or just get a promotion and more ice time.
For large field tournaments (GPP's) you want to find payers who have multi-point upside and can grab double digit fantasy points. To get the most upside in your forwards a common strategy is to punt the defense position. This doesn't mean just grab anyone. Try and look for a D-man who will be playing more PP time or might get a boost in overall playing time due to an injury.
Let's take a look at some solid plays for today's action.
Claude Giroux - Center, Flyers (DraftKings - $6,800 FanDuel - $7,900)
Giroux is coming off a game in which he notched three assists against New Jersey. He now has 10 points in his last nine games and will get a great opportunity to keep rolling Friday against the struggling Montreal Canadiens. It's a bit concerning that he took just one shot on goal in the last game, but he registered four in each of the two previous ones. Giroux sees over 20 minutes on the ice and 22 of his 49 points this season have come on the all-important power-play. He's a good play for both DraftKings and FanDuel tonight, just be aware of his minus-6 rating for the season.
Jack Eichel - Center, Sabres (DraftKings - $5,700 FanDuel - $5,900)
Buffalo's rookie is playing like he wants to win the Calder Trophy. He's put up 39 points in 58 games this season and is showing the talent that made him the second-overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He currently has a three-game point streak and four points in his last five games. A very favorable matchup with Columbus Friday makes Eichel a solid play on both DFS sites. He leads all rookies with 171 shots on goal and has 14 power-play points, giving him added value for FanDuel. The downside of using him on FanDuel is the fact that he plays on a bad team and carries a minus-14 rating for the season.
Johnny Gaudreau - Winger, Flames (DraftKings - $7,000 FanDuel - $8,800)
Gaudreau continued his solid season Wednesday with his 35th assist. He enters Friday with a two-game point streak, with a goal and three assists over that span. He's got 58 points through 57 games and sees a ton of ice time each game, meaning that he gets ample opportunities to put up points. He doesn't do much in terms of blocking shots or racking up penalty minutes, but his plus-9 rating is helpful on FanDuel. Gaudreau will cost you more than any winger tonight, but he's proven to be worth it time and again this season.
Cam Atkinson - Winger, Blue Jackets (DraftKings - $5,000 FanDuel - $5,900)
Atkinson has been a bit inconsistent this season, but he can useful in fantasy formats when he's on one of his hot streaks. He didn't find the scoresheet in Tuesday's game with Boston, but has two multi-point games in the last four games. With 19 goals and 18 assists this season, Atkinson certainly carries some fantasy value, especially with a good matchup against Buffalo on Friday. Aside from the points, he's averaging 3.8 shots per game over the last 10 games and brings some added value on DraftKings with his blocked shots.
Shayne Gostisbehere - Defenseman, Flyers (DraftKings - $5,600 FanDuel - $5,200)
The rookie defenseman is absolutely on fire at the moment and needs to be played regardless of the DFS site you use. He extended his point streak to 13 games with a goal Tuesday. After starting the season in the AHL, Gostisbehere has quickly established himself as one of the best young blueliners in the game. From a fantasy perspective, he's basically been doing it all. Not only does he rack up goals and assists, but also helps fantasy owners with blocked shots and shots on goal. He's especially valuable on FanDuel due to the fact that 18 of his 32 points this season have come on the power play. His price tag has continued to rise steadily, but it's still very affordable considering the production you'll get.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Defenseman, Sharks (DraftKings - $5,000 FanDuel - $5,200)
When looking at the San Jose Sharks for a fantasy defenseman, Brent Burns is the first name that jumps out. While it's hard to argue with his numbers, his price is sky-high. The more valuable fantasy pick at defenseman is actually Marc-Edouard Vlasic. He doesn't shoot much, and hence, doesn't score often, but he has recorded 25 assists this season and is currently riding an eight-game assist streak. Throw in the blocked shots, penalty minutes, and a plus-8 rating, and Vlasic is a very solid pick.
Cory Schneider - Goaltender, Devils (DraftKings - $8,200 FanDuel - $8,500)
Schneider is the confirmed starter for the Devils on Friday in a very important matchup with the Islanders. The teams are separated by just two points in the Eastern Conference. He's put up stellar numbers over his last five games, posting three wins and a 2.13 GAA. As a word of caution though, he's lost twice to the Islanders already this season. Plus, the Devils have struggled at times to score the puck, but that doesn't change the fact that Schneider is one of the best options available in net Friday.
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